Mixing cap

ABSTRACT

A mixing cap includes a cap body including a bottle connection part for connection to a bottleneck of a bottle, a blender container mounted in the bottle connection part corresponding to the bottleneck, a pressing shell pressable to deform elastically, and a seal member joined to the blender container and defining a storage chamber in the blender container to hold a blender. The pressing shell is elastically deformably pressable by an external force to impart a pressure to the seal member, making an opening in the seal member for allowing the blender to enter the bottle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to container technology and moreparticularly, to a mixing cap carrying a blender for blending with aliquid in a container.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many mixing caps are commercially available for allowing ingredients tobe mixed in just before serving. A conventional mixing cap is generallyequipped with a cutter for cutting open the seal film. However, becausethe cutter is kept in communication with the inside space of theingredient storage chamber, the ingredient storage chamber may be notperfectly sealed. Air may enter the ingredient storage chamber easily,causing the storage ingredient to deteriorate. When the storageingredient starts to deteriorate, the taste of the ingredient will beaffected, and a hygienic problem will occur. Further, the cutter and thecap body of a conventional mixing cap are independent members to beseparately made and then assembled together. When assembling the cutterand the cap body together, the assembling quality will affect theaccuracy of the use of the product. Further, most conventional mixingcaps will cause a structural damage after the service. Thus, thecomponent parts cannot be used repeatedly. The waste generated after theservice of a mixing cap is another environmental protection problem tobe settled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a mixingcap, which has the advantages of safety in use, ease of fabrication,excellent sealing performance, ease of use, and high response accuracy.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a mixing capcomprises a cap body. The cap body comprises a bottle connection partfor connection to a bottleneck of a bottle, a blender container mountedin the bottle connection part corresponding to the bottleneck, apressing shell pressable to deform elastically, and a seal member joinedto the blender container and defining a storage chamber in the blendercontainer to hold a blender. The pressing shell is elasticallydeformably pressable by an external force to impart a pressure to theseal member, making an opening in the seal member for allowing theblender to enter the bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating a mixing cap capped on abottle in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the cap body and seal member of themixing cap in accordance with the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plain view of the cap body and seal member of themixing cap in accordance with the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional plain view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating a normal unpressed status of the mixing cap.

FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 5, illustrating the protective cover removedfrom the cap body and the pressing membrane pressed.

FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6, illustrating the pressing membranereturned to its former shape.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a mixing cap and a container in accordancewith a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional plain view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating a normal unpressed status of the mixing cap.

FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. 9, illustrating the protective cover removedfrom the cap body and the pressing membrane pressed.

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a mixing cap and a container inaccordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional plain view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating a normal unpressed status of the mixing cap.

FIG. 13 corresponds to FIG. 10, illustrating the protective coverremoved from the cap body and the pressing membrane pressed.

FIG. 14 is a sectional plain view of an unpressed mixing cap inaccordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 corresponds to FIG. 14, illustrating the protective coverremoved from the cap body and the pressing membrane pressed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-7, a mixing cap 10 in accordance with a firstembodiment of the present invention is shown. The mixing cap 10 can beattached to a bottle 40 to hold a blender 50 that can be a solidsubstance such as coffee powder, powdered milk or tea leaves, or aliquefied substance, for example, milk cream.

In this first embodiment, the mixing cap 10 comprises a cap body 20, aseal member 30, and a protective cover 60.

The cap body 20 comprises a peripherally downwardly extending bottleconnection part 21 defining therein a thread 213 for threading onto abottle 40 having a bottleneck 41, a blender container 23 mounted in thebottle connection part 21 and insertable into the bottleneck 41 of thebottle 40, a pressing shell 25 pressable to deform, and a plunger member27 connected to an inner side of the pressing shell 25. The plungermember 27 has a cross-shaped cross section and is terminating in apiercing tip 272.

The blender container 23 comprises a seal member joining portion 231.The seal member 30 is sealed to the seal member joining portion 231.Further, the pressing shell 25 defines a first shell portion 251, and asecond shell portion 252 that is connected to the first shell portion251. The plunger member 27 is connected to the second shell portion 252of the pressing shell 25. In this embodiment, the second shell portion252 is shaped like an upwardly protruding truncated cone. One or both ofthe first shell portion 251 and the second shell portion 252 areelastically deformable, able to return to a former shape automaticallyor manually by the user after being pressed.

The seal member 30 is bonded with a peripheral joining portion 31thereof to the seal member joining portion 231 of the blender container23, thereby defining a storage chamber 39 in the blender container 23for storing the blender 50. The pressing shell 25 can be elasticallydeformed by an external force to force the plunger member 27 through theseal member 30, enabling the blender 50 to enter the bottle 40. The sealmember 30 can be pierced by the plunger member 27 to provide an openingfor the passing of the blender 50.

The protective cover 60 comprises a capping portion 61 that can becapped on the cap body 20, and a protection chamber 63 shading thepressing shell 25.

Broadly speaking, the cap body 20, the seal member 30 and the protectivecover 60 can be independent components. Alternatively, either two or allof the cap body 20, the seal member 30 and the protective cover 60 canbe formed together in integrity.

The use and features of the mixing cap 10 in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention are outlined hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 5, the blender 50 is pre-loaded in the mixing cap 10,and the bottle 40 is filled up with a predetermined liquid. When theuser is going to mix the blender 50 in the liquid in the bottle 40,remove the protective cover 60 from the cap body 20, and then press thepressing shell 25 with one finger to force the plunger member 27downwardly through the seal member 30, making an opening in the sealmember 30, as shown in FIG. 6. When the user released the hand from thepressing shell 25, the pressing shell 25 immediately returns to itsformer shape to lift the plunger member 27 from the seal member 30. Atthis time, the blender 50 flows through the opening in the seal member30 into the bottle 40 for mixing with the liquid, as shown in FIG. 7.Therefore, the operation of the present invention is quite simple.Further, the protective cover 60 can prevent a user from pressing thepressing shell 25 by mistake.

Further, the first shell portion 251 and second shell portion 252 of thepressing shell 25 are elastically deformable for repeated use. The usercan fill a new supply of the blender 50 in the mixing cap 10 forrepeated use, featuring an eco-friendly concept.

FIGS. 8-10 illustrate a mixing cap in accordance with a secondembodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment issubstantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with thefollowing exceptions.

According to this second embodiment, the seal member 30 comprises acenter body portion 35 detachably attached to the bottom open side ofthe blender container 23, a peripheral joining portion 31 bonded to thebottom edge of the blender container 23, and a tearing portion 33extending around the center body portion 35 and joined between thecenter body portion 35 and the peripheral joining portion 31. The sealmember 30 can be forced by the plunger member 27 to break the tearingportion 33, opening the center body portion 35 from the blendercontainer 23 for allowing the blender 50 to enter the bottle 40. Whenthe center body portion 35 is opened from the blender container 23, apart of the peripheral joining portion 31 is kept bonded to the bottomedge of the blender container 23, avoiding falling of the center bodyportion 35 to the inside of the bottle 40. Alternatively, the sealmember 30 can be so desired that the center body portion 35 can beseparated from the peripheral joining portion 31 and the blendercontainer 23 to fall to the inside of the bottle 40 upon a downwardmovement of the plunger member 27.

FIGS. 11-13 illustrate a mixing cap in accordance with a thirdembodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment issubstantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with thefollowing exceptions.

According to this third embodiment, the blender container 23 comprises adifferent design of seal member joining portion, referenced by 232, thatis formed of the lower part of the inside wall thereof; the seal member30 comprises center body portion 35 detachably attached to the bottomopen side of the blender container 23, and an upright joining portion 31upwardly extended from the border area of the center body portion 35 andpress-fitted into the seal member joining portion 232 of the blendercontainer 23. During operation, the seal member 30 is forced by theplunger member 27 to disengage the upright joining portion 31 from theseal member joining portion 232 of the blender container 23. Thus, theseal member 30 will fall to the inside of the bottle 40 when it isforced by the plunger member 27. Further, the blender container 23 canbe configured to provide the aforesaid two different designs of sealmember joining portions 231 and 232.

FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a mixing cap in accordance with a fourthembodiment of the present invention. This fourth embodiment issubstantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with thefollowing exceptions.

According to this fourth embodiment, the cap body 20 eliminates theaforesaid plunger member 27, and the pressing member 25 of the cap body20 can be pressed and elastically deformed to force the blender 50against the seal member 30, thereby opening or breaking the seal member30. This design achieves the same effects as the aforesaid variousembodiments of the present invention.

Except of the aforesaid embodiments, all the component parts of themixing cap may also be variously embodied as follows:

For example, the pressing member 25 can be configured without the secondshell portion 252, i.e., the plunger member 27 can be directly connectedto the first shell portion 251. Further, the pressing member 25 can beconfigured having a protruding, flat or concave shape, or any of avariety of other shapes.

Further, the cap body 20 can be configured without the aforesaid bottleconnection part 21 and thread 213, and can be directly plugged into thebottleneck 41 with its blender container 23. Or alternatively, thebottle connection part 21 of the cap body 20 can be directly formed onthe periphery of the blender container 23 (no illustration).

Alternatively, the blender container 23 can be configured not to beinserted into the bottleneck 41 but to be disposed outside thebottleneck 41 (no illustration) to provide a different shape designsubject to a different shape demand, i.e., the blender container 23 ofthe cap body 20 can be configured to be disposed on the inside of thebottle connection part 21 of the cap body 20, at a lower side outsidethe bottle connection part 21 of the cap body 20, or at the top side ofthe bottle connection part 21 of the cap body 20. Thus, the blendercontainer 23 can be configured to fit different bottleneck 41 ofdifferent sizes.

Further, the plunger member 27 can be configured in any of a variety ofshapes or structures. For example, the plunger member 27 can be anindependent member not to be connected to the pressing shell 25. Oralternatively, the plunger member 27 can be connected to the seal member30. Further, under an excellent sealing condition, the plunger member 27can be omitted, and air pressure can be directly or indirectly used toforce the blender 50 against the seal member 30 and to further break theseal member 30 or move the seal member 30 away from the cap body 20.

Further, the first shell portion 251 and second shell portion 252 of thepressing shell 25 in the aforesaid various embodiments are elasticallydeformable. Alternatively, the first shell portion 251 and second shellportion 252 of the pressing shell 25 can be made not elasticallydeformable for one time service, simplifying the fabrication.

Further, the pressing shell 25 can be an independent member detachablycoupled to the cap body 20 by, for example, screw joint or snap-fit. Inthis case, the seal member 30 can be selectively installed in the capbody 20 or the pressing shell 25. When designed to be installed in thecap body 20, the pressing shell 25 can be joined to the cap body 20 inintegrity.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mixing cap, comprising a cap body, said capbody comprising a bottle connection part for connection to a bottleneckof a bottle, a blender container mounted in said bottle connection partcorresponding to said bottleneck, a pressing shell pressable to deformelastically, and a seal member joined to said blender container anddefining a storage chamber in said blender container to hold a blender,wherein said pressing shell is elastically deformably pressable by anexternal force to impart a pressure to said seal member, making anopening in said seal member for allowing said blender to enter saidbottle.
 2. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein aid cap bodyfurther comprises a plunger disposed in between said pressing shell andsaid seal member.
 3. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidplunger member is connected to said pressing shell.
 4. The mixing cap asclaimed in claim 3, wherein said pressing shell comprises a first shellportion, and a second shell portion connected to said first shellportion; said plunger member is connected to said second shell portion.5. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said seal member isforcible by said plunger member to make said opening in said sealmember.
 6. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pressingshell protrudes upwards.
 7. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 2,wherein said pressing shell comprises a first shell portion, and asecond shell portion connected to said first shell portion.
 8. Themixing cap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said blender containercomprises a seal member joining portion; said seal member is secured tosaid seal member joining portion by one of bonding and snap-fittechniques.
 9. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said sealmember comprises a center body portion detachably attached to saidblender container, a peripheral joining portion bonded to said blendercontainer, and a tearing portion extending around said center bodyportion and joined between said center body portion and said peripheraljoining portion and breakable from said peripheral joining portion. 10.The mixing cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressing shellprotrudes upwards.
 11. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 10, whereinsaid pressing shell comprises a first shell portion, and a second shellportion connected to said first shell portion.
 12. The mixing cap asclaimed in claim 10, wherein said blender container comprises a sealmember joining portion; said seal member is secured to said seal memberjoining portion by one of bonding and snap-fit techniques.
 13. Themixing cap as claimed in claim 10, wherein said seal member comprises acenter body portion detachably attached to said blender container, aperipheral joining portion bonded to said blender container, and atearing portion extending around said center body portion and joinedbetween said center body portion and said peripheral joining portion andbreakable from said peripheral joining portion.
 14. The mixing cap asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said pressing shell comprises a first shellportion, and a second shell portion connected to said first shellportion.
 15. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 14, wherein said blendercontainer comprises a seal member joining portion; said seal member issecured to said seal member joining portion by one of bonding andsnap-fit techniques.
 16. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 14, whereinsaid seal member comprises a center body portion detachably attached tosaid blender container, a peripheral joining portion bonded to saidblender container, and a tearing portion extending around said centerbody portion and joined between said center body portion and saidperipheral joining portion and breakable from said peripheral joiningportion.
 17. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blendercontainer comprises a seal member joining portion; said seal member issecured to said seal member joining portion by one of bonding andsnap-fit techniques.
 18. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 17, whereinsaid seal member comprises a center body portion detachably attached tosaid blender container, a peripheral joining portion bonded to saidblender container, and a tearing portion extending around said centerbody portion and joined between said center body portion and saidperipheral joining portion and breakable from said peripheral joiningportion.
 19. The mixing cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealmember comprises a center body portion detachably attached to saidblender container, a peripheral joining portion bonded to said blendercontainer, and a tearing portion extending around said center bodyportion and joined between said center body portion and said peripheraljoining portion and breakable from said peripheral joining portion. 20.The mixing cap as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a protectivecover capable on said cap body over said pressing shell.